For Want of a Kiss
by Blond Gamer Girl
Summary: Through music, Alak Tarr found his soul-mate now if they could only meet.


Alak Tarr rushed through the dirt street, past his friends whose swore they saw their friend and not a silvery ghost with dyed blue hair. Then he skidded to a halt in front of Razz Matazz whose small both held a unique variety of antiques that most some would call useless and but he and a few others called necessity. A crew had salvaged an old radio station or so he heard through the grapevine and he had a standing order for all new music.

"I'm Alak Tarr. Do you get the merchandise?"

A tall dark haired teenage boy who resembled the shop's owners tinkered with an old CD player. "We did but you're too late."

"What do you mean too late?! You promised!"

"No my parents promised not me."

"So who has my albums?"

"Someone I plan to chup," he said with a wink.

Alak grabbed him by his collar. "This isn't the end of this."

Alak stormed off to NeedWant and ordered rounds for his friends who promptly heard all there was to tell about a scheming merchant and the girlfriend who would deprive the town of new music. Bitterness had replaced his normal jovial mood. The next day's music reflected his tone.

Once he was done for the day, Alak stepped out of the bottom of the arch to find a large flat brown bag containing an album by "Seventh Dream of a Teenage Heaven" by Love and Rockets. Stuck to it was a notee with a song title written in cursive "A Private Future" so Alak played it in private. The music spoke to him and the last lyrics of the song had been his motto for all his life but not the past day where he did drown his sorrow in whiskey and sin but that quickly changed as he returned to his old self.

_"Live the life you love, In the god you trust, And don't take it all to seriously."_

Alak left a note in that spot for his mysterious benefactor. "That song meant a lot and is one of my favorites on the album though I liked all of it. Thank you and Defiance listeners thank you."

The next day he found a similar package. "You are very welcome. After such somber music, I think it's time for something fun."

In the bag, Alak found an album with musicians dressed as demonic clowns. "Kiss, Destroyer," he muttered. He had serious doubts about this album but he the music surprised him.

Alak left his note. "That was fun and strangely infectious. I listened to the album three times last night."

The next day he found another package from the mysterious stranger. "Sometimes I think Defiance would be a better place if different races and people in general showed more respect." And the town was treated to Aretha Franklin's Respect.

The next package contained another album from his benefactor. "Yes Kiss is infectious. Can you play this and dedicate it to my ex-friend and ex-boyfriend and let him know, I'll never think of either of them after this song?"

Alak opened a metallic record holder: PiL. "This next song is dedicated to Defiance's biggest cheating fool. You shouldn't have given her up." He then played the rather venomous song "Disappointed."

_Disappointed a few people  
When friendship reared its ugly head  
Disappointed a few people  
Well, isn't that what friends are for?_

The next day he found another album and a note. "Thanks for that. I don't want you to think I'm a bitter person but I just needed to vent. Anyhow, it will be Sunday when you read this. Many humans will be at church. I'm not overly religious but I like to think there's a higher power looking after all of us. If not a higher power then someone who inspires us and gives us strength. Do you have someone like that in your life?"

Alak played the song requested from that album: "Tower of Strength" from the album "Children" by the Mission UK.

Y_ou raise me up  
When I'm on the floor  
You see me through  
When I'm lonely and scared  
And I'm feeling true to the written word  
And you're true to me  
And still I need more  
It would tear me apart  
To feel no one ever cared..._

_You rescue me  
You are my faith  
My hope  
My liberty  
And when there is darkness all around  
You shine bright for me  
You are the guiding light_

You are a tower of strength to me

_*Tower of Strength by Mission UK_

Alak replied to the note. "Though I disagree with my parents a lot. My mother gives me strength by always being on my side. While my father does things that I prefer to not know about, he did come from nothing and made something of himself. I see that and I respect him for it. I too believe in a higher power. Many times music is my higher power."

His benefactor replied. "I don't know if you realize this but when you play music from all the different races, it helps transcend our differences and prove we have something in common." Enclosed with the note was the single "For What Its Worth" by Buffalo Springfield. "This song is from a war a long time ago but it reminds me of what happened in Defiance when everyone stopped fighting."

_Paranoia strikes deep  
Into your life it will creep  
It starts when you're always afraid_

Alak responded "Defiance was the moment that gives us all hope. Despite all the squabbles and prejudices between races, there can still be peace."

Alak received a response the next day. "I wish everyone would look back on that time more. We'll never get anywhere if everyone keeps fighting amongst themselves. No ones' lives will ever improve. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who thinks this way. I guess this song expresses that." The song was John Lennon's "Imagine."

_You may say I'm a dreamer  
But I'm not the only one  
I hope someday you'll join us  
And the world will be as one_

Alak smiled. It seemed he found a soul-mate. "I agree completely. What's done is done. Can't we just move on?"

"Time for a little music just to get the blood pumping." Enclosed in that packet was a compilation of everything by Razed in Black.

After the Temptations, the Rolling Stones, Nirvana and many more with notes, anecdotes and observations in-between, Alak Tarr knew one thing. He was in love. "I want to dedicate this to our mysterious benefactor." Then he played "Looking for a Kiss" by the New York Dolls. "This is for someone special. You know who you are. Would you go on a date with me?"

The reply was a compilation of KMFDM songs and a note that simply stated. "I'm human."

Alak replied. "It doesn't matter to me. I like humans."

For two days, there was nothing outside the arch and then another package. "Play Bohemian Rhapsody and sing the chorus before you read the note inside. It will put you in good mood." Alak played the song several times and sang the chorus though it made no sense and he enjoyed it.

Alak opened the note fully expected a note from a human girl but he was more than a little shocked. "I'm a human guy, a gay guy. If you're truly not prejudiced in anyway, we can date. However, most people's actions speak louder than their words."

Alak's heart sank. This couldn't be love because he loved women and this was simply notes from a stranger but a stranger who got him. Not even his friends got him. The things he confessed to this stranger he would never think of sharing with them. "You can be my human brother. I have no prejudices." This would be acceptable. Alak left his benefactor a single: "People are People" by Depeche Mode.

_People are people  
So why should it be  
You and I should get along so awfully_

"I think we both know that it would be more than that based on our exchanges. Everything would get complicated and we would both be hurt. It's best that we leave everything as it is. Here's the rest of the albums I have. Please enjoy and share with all your listeners. I think it is best we not contact each other ever again."

Alak felt his heart shatter. He lost his unknown best friend. He played "Message in a Bottle" by the Police. "To a special friend out there, please read what I have to say." Then he left a note in the usual spot. "You are a friend that I want to meet no matter who you are. I feel connected. Meet me at place of your choosing." Then he put feelers to find this mysterious benefactor but subtly to not scare the human away.

"I heard you're trying to find me. Considering who your father is, that worries me. Here's the deal. Prove you're not prejudiced with one date and one kiss. If you don't want to follow through with that then respect my wishes and don't try to find me." A cover of "Close to You" from MirrorMask was attached. The haunting rendition clued Alak in to the concerns of his benefactor.

In the end, curiosity won. "Name your time and place," he wrote. Alak got drunk that night at NeedWant and fully proved he like women with a Casti prostitute.

His friend replied. "At the base of the arch at 7 PM."

"See you then" was the reply.

Alak psyched himself up as best he could. "No prejudices, new experiences," he repeated. It would only be a kiss that no one would see. While he still didn't like guys, he wanted to have someone to call brother and this would be proof that he wouldn't judge. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly.

From behind he heard footsteps and surprisingly a female voice. "I tried everything I could to discourage you but you still wanted to meet. Maybe if you thought I was a gay human guy you wouldn't be interested and it would be easier for you to walk away." When he opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful dark haired lightly mocha skinned girl who was familiar. "Now that you know who I am, I bet you're wishing, I was a human guy and not the daughter of your worst enemy."

"Your father and my father have issues, not us," he said as she tried to walk away. "We have a date still."

At the top of the arch, Alak played his favorite tunes and she played hers. They laughed. They talked. They enjoyed each other's company. A few hours later, he walked her a safe distance from her home. Slowly he leaned in to kiss her. The moments his lips met hers, he heart raced and he knew she was the one.

Very gently, she pressed her hand against his chest. "This is as far as I go on a first date."

"I want more." However, he stepped back out of respect. "As you wish," he stated as nonchalantly as he could. _Was this it? Would there be only one night like the note said? _With a grimace, he turned to walk away.

"Alak, I go farther on a second date."

"So do I," he said. "I'll show you tomorrow night." Even though life would soon become more complicated, he couldn't help but grin like a fool.


End file.
